Sylvania



J. C. M CUNE' ET AL a 9 N1 m: an m. H. m mm P oh i w F U GM An v i V i. m r W O E fl D INVENTORS JOSEPH C. MCCUNE AND sgYEPHEN JOHNSON JR.

ATTOR EY Reissued Dec; 6, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE JOSEPH C. MCCUNE, F EDGEWOOD, AND STEPHEN JOHNSON, JR., 0]? PITTSBURGH, PENN- SYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE -WESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF 'WILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA VACUUM OPERATED HORN Original No. 1,786,214, datedDecember 23, 1930, Serial 170.400,?81, filed October 19, 1929. Application for r reissue filedoctober 13, 1932. Serial No. 637,662.

This invention relates to sound producers,

and more particularly to a sound producer of the type employing a flexible diaphragm which is caused to vibrate by variations 1n fluid pressure. K

One object of'our invention is to provide a flexible diaphragm sound producer 1n which the vibration of the diaphragm is produced by creating a partial vacuum on-one side of the diaphragm.

Another object of our invention is to provide a flexible diaphragm sound producer 1n which the vibration of the diaphragm is produced by creating a partial vacuum on one side of the diaphragm and in which a valve is operated by the diaphragm to connect the partial vacuum side of the diaphragm to the atmosphere. I

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following more detailed description of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing; Fig. 1s a diagrammatic view of a sound producing equipment embodying our inventlon; Flg. 2 a sectional View of the flexible diaphragm sound producing device embodying our invent-ion; and Fig. 3 a sectional view of a modified form of our invention.

'As shown in Fig. 2, the improved flexible diaphragm sound producing device may co mprise casing sections 1 and 2,.between whlch is clamped a flexible diaphragm 3, the section 1 having anannular recess adapted to receive the diaphragm, and the sections 1 and 2 being clamped together by means of bolts A suitable horn 5 is secured to a member 6, and said member-is secured to an extended cylindrical portion 7 of the section 2 by screwthreaded engagement. A bracket 8 may be clamped between the member 6 and the casing section 2, and the bracket is employed to secure the sound producer in its desired location, such as at a suitable location on a motor vehicle.

Secured to the diaphragm 3, centrally thereof, is a valve stem 9, which stem extends through a relatively large opening 10 in the casing section 2. A thin metal disc valve 11 is secured to the outer end of the stem 9 by means of a headed screw 12 and said valve is adapted to engage an annular seat rib 13 provided centrally of the casing section 2 and surrounding the opening 10.

Integral with the valve stem 9 and extending through a central aperture in the diaphragm 3, is a stem 14: on which is mounted a disc 15, and a nut 16, havingscrew-threaded engagement with the stem 14:, serves to hold the disc15 in place, as well as to clamp the valve stem 9 to the diaphragm 3. The inner face of the disc may be convex, so as to permit the diaphragm to freely flex when the diaphragm moves toward the right.

The chamber 17 at one side of the diaphragm 3 is open to the atmosphere through an opening 18 in the casing section 1, and the chamber 19 at the opposite side of the diaphragm is connected to a pipe 20, through which a partial vacuum is operateds in the chamber 19.

As shown in Fig. 1, the pipe 20 may be connected to the intake manifold 21 of an internal combustion engine, and inv order to provlde a vacuum source at all times, regardess of whether or not the engine is running,-

a storage reservoir 22 is provided, which is connected to the pipe 20.

A check-valve 23 is interposed in the pipe 20, which is adapted to permit flow in the direction of the arrow, but prevents flow in the opposite direction, so that the vacuum accumulated in the reservoir will not be lost bythe flow of fluid from the intake manifold to thereservoir."

A-controller valve 24 is also interposed in the plpe 20 and is adaptedto be operated by pulllng a lever 25 to open the valve, when it is desired to operate the sound producer.

In operation, the chambers 17 and 19 at producer, the valve 24 is opened, so as to per- 7 mit the creation of a partial vacuum in the chamber 19 of the sound producing device.

The partial vacuum created in chamber 19 causes the thin flexible disc valve 11 to tightly engage the seat rib 13, by the' action of the atmospheric pressure which acts on the outer face of the valve and even if the valve disc .be slightly away from the seat rib, the disc will be flexed so as to tightly engage the seat.

The atmospheric pressure in chamber 17 moves the diaphragm 3 toward the right against the reduced pressure in chamber 19 and with it they valve stem 9. The disc valve 11 being of thin flexible material tends to hold to its seat and flex during the slight initial movement of the stem 9 toward the right, due to the atmospheric pressure acting on its outer face against the partial vacuum in chamber 19 and thenthe valve is forcibly pushed from its seat and creates a relatively large outlet opening from chamber 19 to the chamber 26 and the interior of the horn 5. A sudden flow of air then takes place irom the horn to the chamber 19, causing the quick build up of pressure in chamber 19, so that the diaphragm 3 which is now flexed out of its normal position moves back to its original position, aided by the spring action of the diaphragm. The disc valve 11 again seats on the seat rib 13, soas to cut oil the inflow of air to the chamber 19 and then a partial vacuum is again created in chamber 19, so that the diaphragm 3 again moves toward the right in the manner previously described.

The diaphragm 3 is thus caused to vibrate, and by the opening and closing of the disc valve 11, the air column in the horn is caused to pulsate and thus produce a sound.

he disc Weight 15 attached to the diaphragm operates to intensify the vibratory movement of the diaphragm.

Accordin to the modified construction shown in Fig. 3, the vacuum pipe 20' is connected to the chamber 17 at the side of the diaphragm 3 opposite to the horn 5'. A valve 11 is connected by a stem 9' to the diaphragm 3 and controls connection from chamber 17" to the atmosphere;

When a partial vacuum is created in chamber 17', by the. opening of valve 24, the atmospheric pressure in chamber 19' shifts the diaphragm 3 toward the left. The valve 11 is then unseated, and air from the atmosphere flows into chamber 1?. As the pressures equalize on opposite sides of the diaphragm, the diaphragm moves back toward the right, so as to operate the valve 11' and cause same to seat. The above action is then repeated and thereby the diaphragm i air in the horn is produced by the successive withdrawals of air from the horn by the opening of the valve 11. The Fig. 3 construction is shown merely as a possible arrangement within the scope of our invention.

While two illustrative embodiments of our invention have been described in detail, it is not our intention to limit its scope to these embodiments or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

Having now described our invention, .what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: I

1. A sound producer comprising a flexible diaphragm having a chamber at one side constantly open to the atmosphere and having a chamber at the opposite side, a partial vacuum source, manually operated means for connecting said source to said chamber at the opposite side, a horn, and a thin flexible valve operated by said diaphragm for controlling communication from said horn to said vacuum chamber.

2. The combination with a sound producer comprising a flexible diaphragm operable by creating apartial vacuum in the chamber at one side of said diaphragm, of an internal combustion engine intake manifold, a reservoir connected to said manifold whereby a partial vacuum is created in said reservoir, and means for connecting said reservoir to said chamber.

3. The combination with a sound producer comprising a flexible diaphragm operable by creating a partial vacuum in the chamber at one side of said diaphragm, of an internal combustion engine intake manifold, a reser- 4. A sound producer comprising a casing,

a flexible diaphragm mounted in said casing, means for creating a partial vacuum in the chamber in the casing at one side of the diaphragm, a horn, an opening in saidcasing connecting said chamber with the horn, and

'a valve operated by said diaphragm for controlling communication through said opening from said chamber to said horn.

5. A sound producer comprising a casing, a flexible diaphragm mounted in said casing,

a horn associated with said casin a chamber in said casing at the horn sideo the casing, means for creating a partial vacuum in said chamber, a chamber in said casing at the opposite side of the diaphragm open at all times to the atmosphere, and a valve operated by said diaphragm for controlling a port opening in said casing for connecting said partial vacuum chamber to said horn.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands this 11th day of October, 1932.

JOSEPH O. MGOUNE. STEPHEN J OHN SON J R. 

